BISMARCK, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The Valley City High School Speech Team competed at the NDHSAA Class A State Speech Tournament with 11 Hi-Liners. The team took 3rd place in the sweepstakes with 48.33 points. St. Mary’s took 4th with 40.5. By a narrow yet powerful margin, the team has ended their last ‘Class A’ season with an incredible comeback. VCHS Speech, along with a few other activities, will move down to Class B starting in the 2025-2026 school year due to declining enrollment. The team garnered 3 individual state champions. Leah Hochhalter in Humorous Interpretation and a two-way tie for State Champion in Radio, Ada Gilbertson and Carter Hass. Both are considered an individual State Champion. All of the placements are listed as follows.
Serious Duo
Leah Hochhalter and Kylie Van Bruggen- 7 th place
Entertain
Addison Fetsch and Kylie Van Bruggen (tied)- 7 th place
Informative Speaking
Quin Kruger- 2 nd place STATE RUNNER UP
Humorous Interpretation
Leah Hochhalter- 1 st place STATE CHAMPION
Radio Broadcasting
Ada Gilbertson and Carter Hass (tied)- 1 st place STATE CHAMPION(S)
Poetry
Cadence Fetsch- 4 th place
Extemporaneous Speaking
Carter Hass- 5 th place
Sweepstakes
1 st . West Fargo Horace- 168.99 points
2 nd . West Fargo Sheyenne- 81.49 points
3 rd . Valley City High School- 48.33 points
From April 13-15th, a few Hi-Liners competed at the Speech National Qualifier Tournament in the North Dakota Roughrider District. This is not associated with the NDHSAA. All schools registered in the National Speech and Debate Association have the chance to attend their district’s National Qualifying Tournament(s), including one for Speech, Debate, and Student Congress. North Dakota has one district. In our districts Speech National Qualifying
Tournament, Leah Hochhalter Nationally Qualified in Humorous Interpretation, and Abby Wilmes Nationally Qualified in World Schools Debate. Previously, Carter Hass championed the House of Representatives in the Student Congress National Qualifying Tournament and Qualified for Nationals. All three will travel with team North Dakota to Des Moines, Iowa, from June 15-20 to compete at the National Speech and Debate Tournament.
